This invention relates to an end fitting for attaching a freight bracing cross bar or the like to a belt rail and more particularly to a universal end fitting that is cooperable with a plurality of different configuration of belt rails.
One normal method of bracing freight in transporting vehicles such as railroad cars, highway trailers or the like employs the use of a cross bar type of device. With a freight bracing cross bar, the side walls of the cargo area are equipped with a plurality of vertically spaced belt rails. Each of the belt rails is configured to provide longitudinally spaced attachment means whereby the cross bars may be affixed to the cargo area in preselected vertical and longitudinal locations. Various manufacturers have designed different configuration belt rails and, in some instances, the same manufacturer has designed different types of belt rails for different applications. It has been common to design a particular end fitting for use with a particular belt rail. This means that individual shippers must keep on hand an inventory of all types of cross bars to accommodate the various belt rails which may be employed in the transporting vehicles in which they ship goods. Such inventorying adds considerably to the cost and provides other disadvantages.
It has, therefore, been proposed to design a universal type of end fitting that may be used with a plurality of different types of belt rails. One such universal end fitting is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 532,908 filed Dec. 16, 1974 entitled "End Fitting". This end fitting has advantages over other proposed universal type of end fittings in that it affords positive latching with each of the belt rails for which it is designed. However, this end fitting is only designed to be used with two different types of belt rails.
It is, therefore, a principle object of this invention to provide an improved end fitting that is usable with a wide variety of belt rails.
It is another object of this invention to provide a universal end fitting that affords positive latching with each type of belt rail that it is designed to cooperate with.